Welcome to Bonnie's Bag!

Guess what -- I was feeling bad about not journaling like my memory program tells me I must do and then God showed me that I had been journaling all along,(for the past 8 years at least) just in a different format. In fact I journal things that the memory book never thought about needing to journal and is probably more than anyone wants to know but I'm going to share it anyhow. In the morning I journal my grooming and toileting. I have smybols for whether I go #1, #2, #3 and how often and description of each one and whether their is any pain or soreness involved. Also my bathing is journaled, how often, how much of me, in tub or sink and if hair was also shampooed. Also all lotions or creams have to be noted. Each time I brush my teeth I have to record a happy tooth on my journal sheet for the day. This is the journal that my Aides, Nurse, and Kelly all examine to see if I'm keeping track of things, if my mind is working and if I'm aware of all that is happening. On the daily calendar I record all phone calls in and out; all visits from whomever; who the Aide of the day was; and anywhere that I might have gone and who I spoke to in the hallways, highways, or byways. Okay, that's two journals before I get out of the bathroom. During baseball season I record on the calendar on my hall closet wins and loses for the Indains. In football season I have a notebook that I record all the wins,losses, stats, rankings, etc. for each team in both AFL & NFL. For NASCAR I download articles about family favorites and how they did in each race and put them on my sports wall. That is sort of a picture journal without any actual writing. Then we get to the kitchen and on the fridge is the activity & health care journal. There is a list that I must check off for each day all the meds taken, refills needed and exercises done and note what the Home Health Aide has done and one day a week also includes R.N. Then I go to the desk and I have a separate journal for glucose levels, weight, and temp. Each has to be recorded four times a day. This is for me to see when I might be getting in trouble but is also reviewed by the Aide, RN, and Primary Care Doctor. Then it is back to the bedroom to journal the glucose levels on the computer chart for the Research Program in which I am participating for the Cleveland Clinic. This continues even tho' I have a new primary physician that is not associated with the Clinic. When that is finished then I return to the living room and check my card list and make notations to show who is being sent a birthday, encouragment, get well, or thinking of you card, etc.
All of this is at least started before breakfast. After breakfast (I'm supposed to journal everything I eat also but I'm very lackadaisical about this.) I start on my prayer cards and Bible reading and studying. I record what I have read and what I have prayed and answered prayers and praise reports. When God speaks to me thru' the word, whispers in my ear, or writes something on the tablet of my heart, I record this in another journal. By the time I get to journaling on my blog I'm completely worn out and now I realize that I have enough journals. There is a need to communicate with those I love which includes family and friends and faith sisters and brothers who read the blog occasionally, however, right now it seems like this particular venue is more stressful than giving relief or release so I am thinking of discontinuing it. I'm not able to do it everyday and sometimes not even once a week and that makes me feel mad at myself for not meeting the self-imposed commitment. Since only a few of my email friends and none of my cancer care kids read this, I think I'm going to focus on the email system and if I want to blog something I'll copy the email and paste it here for those who don't do the email thing. How does that sound? Well since I'm here I will say that it has been another week of seizures and aftershocks. I had a seizure after I left the voting booth Tuesday morning but Becky was there and caught me before I hit the floor and others helped by getting a wheelchair and other things. I don't remember much of it but THANK GOD FOR BECKY!! It must have been a pretty bad one because I was still feeling the confusion and memory loss effects thru' yesterday. Today has gone pretty good tho' and feeling much better. Derrick called me twice this week and that is so rare that I do remember it. He does call often but not usually two days in a row. Haven't heard from Michael this week. Talked to Kelly and Brandi several times today. Chrystin is enjoying her first job at Marc's; she is working as a cashier. She will enjoy the paychecks even more than the job probably. After she reimburses her Mom for the gas and pays Uncle Sam his portion she will probably wonder where all that money went to. Okay, Poppy is saying it is time for his bedtime snack so I will say goodnight and knowing me you probably know I will be back. Till then I'm praying that we all receive . . .

Blessings By the Bags Full.

Sharing the Blessings,
Bonnie Marie